Both University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino and Memphis’ Josh Pastner confirmed at this week’s American Athletic Conference media day that the programs will continue playing one another following the Cardinals’ one-year stay in the league.

“Their dynamic is different than ours,” Cronin told the Enquirer, “because they’re headed to the ACC and they’ve got built-in games that they already have, like Kentucky. He really doesn’t know what they need right now from a non-league standpoint. It’s just kind of in a holding pattern right now. We’re in different situations. I want to play because we need to beef up our non-league schedule, so it’s an easier call for me right now.”

Cronin is pushing for a series, but Pastner beat him to the punch in asking Pitino for it. There was simply no reason to do so while U of L and Cincinnati both played last season in the Big East Conference.

“Mick’s a very close friend and ex-colleague of mine, but Memphis asked first,” Pitino said. “If Mick had asked first, it would have been Mick on the schedule rather than Memphis, but Memphis asked first.”